By Ashley M. Casey

Associate Editor

Little kids in Lysander will have to find another place to cool off this summer. The Lysander Town Board voted 3-2 to keep the spray park at Lysander Park closed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Deputy Supervisor Bob Geraci led the discussion about opening the splash pad at the July 16 town board meeting.

“I’m feeling comfortable enough with other spray parks [opening] around the state,” he said.

Seneca Lake State Park in Geneva recently opened its “Sprayground” and is allowing up to 50 people in. Closer to home, Fulton Mayor Deana Michaels announced on her Facebook page July 17 that the city’s long-awaited splash pad at CV Abbott Park will open as well.

“I guess where there’s a will, there’s a way,” Geraci said.

The Sprayground at Seneca Lake State Park is not fenced in like the one at Lysander Park.

“Given the fact that we have that ability to control [access], it is outdoors, I for one am willing to allow the residents of the town of Lysander to use that spray park at their own discretion. Let parents decide for themselves,” Geraci said.

Councilor Peter Moore said the town board has received several emails from parents asking the town to open the spray park.

“Many of them said they don’t want to get sick any more than anybody else wants to get sick and they would police themselves. They were willing to do social distancing, wear their masks. Just give them a place to get out,” he said.

Recreation Program Director Tony Burkinshaw said there would be many logistics to work out to open the spray park, including increased staff to monitor and clean the facilities.

“We would have to hire staff. At this time, I told staff that it didn’t look promising and told them to start looking for other summer jobs because they’re students that were looking for jobs,” he said.

Burkinshaw suggested limiting spray park access to Lysander residents only and requiring residents to register for a pass with the parks office. He said the town could also limit the hours and days of operation. According to Burkinshaw and Town Engineer Al Yager, 48 children can fit in the spray park while maintaining a distance of six feet apart.

“If we were to open for parents they would be sitting outside and we would make it mandatory for parents to wear masks,” Burkinshaw said.

Highway Superintendent Jerry Hole noted that some pool facilities are offering appointments.

Burkinshaw recommended the town activate the misting stations in Lysander Park, which predate the spray park and can be easily disinfected.

While he shared some of his ideas for a safe reopening plan, Burkinshaw said his own family decided they would not send their children to the spray park if it opens.

“I know my family personally would not take the risk of sending our children there. I know that there’s parents out there that are in the same boat as my family but there’s other families out there emailing you saying that they would go and they want the experience,” Burkinshaw said. “My wife would not bring our children there, but I would be there because it’s my responsibility.”

Supervisor Bob Wicks and Councilor Jeff Kudarauskas maintained their opposition to opening the spray park. Kudarauskas cited the COVID-19 exposure at a DeWitt in-home daycare as a cautionary tale.

“Look what happened in DeWitt — 16 people got sick,” he said. “I do not think it’s a good idea.”

Kudarauskas added that some of the emails the town board has received in support of opening the spray park this year were not from Lysander residents. He said the majority of emails came from spray park committee members.

Wicks said COVID-19 is spread through droplets from the nose and mouth; when speaking at a normal volume, the spray is about six feet. Children playing, he noted, are likely to be shouting or talking in a loud voice, which could propel infectious droplets farther.

“They’re going to have water in their mouth, they’re going to spit it out, they’re going to spread it all over,” Wicks said. “I think you’re putting kids in an area that’s conducive to the spread of COVID.”

Wicks added that social distancing would be impossible with small children in the spray park and it would be difficult for parks staff to monitor access and attendance.

“You’re going to get some angry parents and some angry kids,” he said.

Wicks reiterated his position that whichever town board members supported opening the spray park would have to help steer the reopening plan.

“Anybody that votes yes on this and if it passes either one or all of the people that vote yes has to get on board with Tony and has to manage this because frankly I don’t have the time right now. That is going to take a lot of work and you have a lot of problems to work out,” he said. “When the complaints come in that’s who they’re going to be directed to, and there’s going to be complaints.”

Councilor Roman Diamond asked Town Attorney Tony Rivizzigno if opening the spray park would be a liability to the town.

“As long as you follow the protocols I think at least from a liability standpoint we’re okay,” Rivizzigno said.

However, Rivizzigno observed that by the time the town worked out a plan to reopen the splash pad, summer likely would be over.

“It’s the middle of July. We’ve got another month of warm weather — I’m hoping it’ll be more. By the time you get it established, I don’t know how much time we’re going to have. Not a lot,” he said.

Geraci suggested the town go forward with developing a safe opening plan for the spray park.

“If we have to close the park in three weeks because it’s not working … we gave it a shot we tried and by that time the summer’s going to be over anyway and with our weather it’ll rain from now on until the end of September,” Geraci said.

Wicks called for a vote on the issue. Geraci and Moore voted yes on reopening the spray park, but Kudarauskas, Diamond and Wicks voted no.